A day after the Department of Homeland Security cancelled its $450 million contract to modernize and unify its backoffice IT systems, the department's acting CFO told Congress DHS will focus first on modernizing the infrastructure of the department's components that are severely out of date. A new strategy for an integrated, departmentwide system has yet to be determined, she said.

The White House cybersecurity advisor said many of his office's initiatives are in the operational stages and are making a difference. But some in industry and government say there is a vacuum in leadership from his office and OMB. Howard Schmidt says it's clear what role his office, OMB and DHS play.